Residential 'gray water' rules eased

Brook Sarson, showing a diverter valve used at her Talmadge home, called the new rules a great move. (Eduardo Contreras / U-T)

Brook Sarson, showing a diverter valve used at her Talmadge home, called the new rules a great move. (Eduardo Contreras / U-T)

Brook Sarson, showing a diverter valve used at her Talmadge home, called the new rules a great move. (Eduardo Contreras / U-T)

By Mike Lee

'GRAY WATER' FACTS

New state rules provide permit exemptions for some residential gray-water systems, but people still have to follow several requirements. They include:

The system must allow users to direct water to an irrigation field or the sewer.

Ponding and gray-water runoff are prohibited.

Gray water can be released above ground, but the discharge point must be covered by at least2 inches of mulch, rock or other material that minimizes human contact.

Water used to wash diapers or other soiled garments must be sent to the sewer.

Gray water shouldn't be used on root vegetables.

Online: For more information about California's new standards for gray-water systems, go to uniontrib.com/more/gray.

California regulators have opened the floodgates for using “gray water” by issuing an emergency decision that allows residents to create simple water-reuse systems without a construction permit.

Gray-water advocates welcomed the change, which is expected to take effect Tuesday. They said the homemade systems – such as redirecting used water from a washing machine to backyard trees – could help save a lot of tap water during the state's continuing drought.

“It's a great move,” said Brook Sarson of Talmadge, who runs a business that helps people install gray-water systems. “More people will be saying, 'What is gray water?' Whereas most people right now don't really look at it as a solution to our water shortage.”

Gray water includes wastewater from showers, bathtubs, bathroom sinks, laundry tubs and washing machines, but not from toilets, kitchen sinks or dishwashers. The latter sources typically have high bacterial content, making them unsuitable for irrigation.

Local health agencies may adopt stricter conditions than the state's after they hold public hearings. It's not immediately clear how San Diego County's officials will react.

“My gut feeling is that we probably will not have any additional requirements, but I can't say that for sure” without further assessment, said Mark McPherson, water quality chief for the county's Department of Environmental Health.

Roughly 1.7 million gray-water systems are installed statewide. Most are illegal because homeowners almost always avoid permits and the associated fees. Do-it-yourselfers can build a gray-water system for $200 or less, but permitting-process costs can more than double the expense.

A standard home generates about 160 gallons of gray water per day, or nearly 60,000 gallons per year, state officials said. A family of four could reuse 22,000 gallons a year by tapping the rinse water from its washing machine.

The California Building Standards Commission had expected an overhaul of gray-water rules to take effect in 2011. But on Thursday, it adopted the regulations on an emergency basis due to the deepening drought.

“These new gray-water standards will be a big step toward reducing California's water consumption by providing cost-effective guidelines that will be beneficial to every home throughout the state,” said Lynn Jacobs, director of the state Department of Housing and Community Development, which helped craft the policies.

The changes came after substantial discussion about the pros and cons of deregulating gray water.

“The concern was that possibly a homeowner or a nonqualified person would be doing these revisions, and they may not do them correctly,” said Doug Hensel, a top official at the state housing agency. “Our view of it was that . . . it is pretty easy to determine if you have a leak.”

California's permit exemption is good for systems that collect water from a washing machine and/or a single drain that connects to sinks, showers or other allowable sources.

Hensel said homeowners still must follow state guidelines for installation and use. The rules require minimal contact between people and the gray water, for instance by covering the water-release point with at least 2 inches of rock, mulch or other material.